While in stealth mode since its inception in 2009 by founder and CEO RJ Scaringe, a MIT graduate, the electric vehicle startup Rivian Automotive has been known in Illinois since last year because of talks to take over the shuttered Mitsubishi plant in Normal, Illinois.

The company confirmed that they closed the deal last week and they will be moving forward with their plans to modernize the facility and get it ready for production of their first electric car in 2019. expand full story